"Mi Musica": Art inspired by music.. at Raices Taller Gallery

Opening tonight (Saturday, September 3rd) at Raices Taller gallery was a show called "Mi Musica", which was dedicated to the theme of music as an inspiration for art.  I counted 36 pieces in the show. 

Overall, the show looked very colorful, although there was a curious retro vibe to it: as if the spirit of modern art from 75 years ago had descended onto the gallery: There was a certain "artiness" to about half of this work, although there was lots of color. But the gallery was silent: no band, no boom box. Where was the music??! For a show inspired by music, I was hoping for some tunes, the gallery was surprisingly quiet. Still it was worth seeing... read on for details...

One of the first things you notice as you enter the gallery are three large paintings by David Tineo: figurative pieces that evoke some sort of myth. If you know story or the symbolism, you get it. If not, you can appreciate his bold and vigorous style. His paintings seem to have stories embedded in their imagery.

artist Mel Dominguez looking at David Tineo's paintings

"El Profeta" by David Tineo

Tineo's "El Profeta" has an image of a bare-breasted, tattooed woman with some curly shapes coming out of her mouth (who's also missing the flesh from one of her forearms). Gallery Director John Salgado tells me that those curly symbols come from the Aztec Codex, and that they represent speech (or perhaps singing) in this painting.  This painting is about five feet tall.

Mel Dominquez has a piece called "Payday Love" in this show. Her picture shows a hot couple making out in front of a liquor store, all done in the energetic and cartoon-graffiti-jazz style for which she's known for. She's does series of paintings that revolve around musical themes, such as hip-hop or jazz, so this kind of musically-inspired work is natural for her.  I like her piece here, but you should see some of her other stuff. Amazing!

close up of Mel Dominguez' "Payday Love" (sorry for the shakey camera)

 Next to Mel's piece, in the corner, is a large work by Lester Aguirre, called "The Memory of My Life". It made with found wood, plus other found materials. He added some his own drawing, and crafted a makeshift violin for this very interesting piece. The image is of a little girl (an angel?) holding a violin. This piece sold on opening night! Lester appears to be an up and coming artist at Raices Taller. Congrats! Keep up the good work!

Aguirre with his artwork, "The Memory of My Life"

Becky Harvey has an interesting little painting with the very serious title "Discontent Daughter of the Sun".  It shows a women from what looks like "Little House On the Prairie" days looking off into the distance, while behind her, sit four crows on a wire.  Also, there is a picture of a heart on the front of her garment, but it's white: drained of all blood.  If Frida Kahlo was a California surfer girl, she might be doing pictures like this: an anglo women with perfect hair, with a California sunburst in the background,  centered around her head as if it was a halo.  I think I was drawn to the expression on this woman's face.  I like the composition, the rendering of face...and all of the goofy stuff I mentioned in the previous two sentences.   This is a small piece, painted with acrylic on cardboard.

Becky Harvey's 'Discontent Daughter of the Sun"

I should mention that I have a piece in this show too. It's a cartoon drawing of the "feeling" of loud rock music, with distortion, feedback, and effects pedals. Personally, I think that my piece is one of the best things in this show!  ;) If you go to the gallery, you'll see it tacked on the wall above the bar.

Howard Salmon's "Rock n Roll" drawing...okay, okay, next time I'll mount it on something!

Artist Donna Stoner has a large painting called "Dancing Queen". She works in what she calls a "Desert Cubist" style. Here she is posing in front of her painting. It's looking good, Donna!

Donna Stoner's "Dancing Queen"

Next to Stoner's painting is a large painting by Ruben Moreno of a screaming head. Or is it a singing head. Or is it shouting? I thinks it's singing a protest song.  I didn't catch the title on that one.  Ruben is really great at realistic fantasy illustration, and a favorite subject of his (from the work I've seen at Raices) are Aztec-oriented images.  This piece is relatively thin (as far as the application of paint goes), but it shows his skill at realism. His best stuff, in my opionion, is his surrealistic work, where he includes a variety of symbolic objects.  But it's good that there's a picture of someone singing in this exhibit which has a musical theme. Actually, it's the only one in the show!

Ruben Moreno, Donna Stone, and Kenneth Steimle (in the background)

On the back wall are a series of irregularly shaped canvases painted in bright, bold colors: hard edges, primary colors, angular shapes. Hearkens back to an "-ism" of long ago.  Artist Kenneth Steimle says (in the painting descriptions) that they are inspired by Mozart's "Last Requiem". For me, it looks like something that came out of the middle of the previous century: the geometric shaped, primary color schemed, abstract work of the 1940s, combined with the grandiose pompous statements of the New York abstract expressionists.  I don't see the music. For an abstract work that is simply about colors and shapes, but makes claims to be inspired by music...I'd expect to see a sense of rhythm or movement, but it's not there. And isn't Mozart's Requiem a dirge? So why the cheery colors?  To me, it looks like it should sound more like the circus. Maybe this is about the part of Mozart's Requiem where he visits the circus? I will give him this however: he 's got the crispest painted edges in the show.

Kenneth Steimle's "K116"

In the back part of the gallery are more works in a similar vein.  Elizabeth Criger has a large red painting called "Song of Love" that appears to be paint brushed onto raw canvas. It looks like she's taken a pen and written in several places on this canvas,  "Love is a false prophet". In the photo below, you can see the text in the upper left hand side of the picture.

closeup of Elizabeth Criger's "Song of Love".

Phillip Molina has a nice little cartoon on board painting called "Waehma Mecham". It's simple and bold and has a nice composition. But why is it sticking its tongue out at me??
Here it is:

Phillip Molina's "Waehma Mecham"

One of my favorite pieces in the show is an encaustic work by Mari Theresa Dietz, called "Camp Song, Lake Abenwki". It's got a lot of variety, color, and texture. It's the only encaustic piece in this show.

Mari Theresa Dietz' encaustic piece

In the corner of the gallery, right by the front door,  is a cute little painting by Carolyn Sotelo called "Untitled". It is a picture of the neck of a violin. And she only wants $60 for it!

Stay tuned for another exciting blog entry, coming your way...eventually!